Sumaira Gul
“This was dawn of the 26thAugust 20022, a huge number of people were gathered near Munda Headwork’s, which was broken due to massive flood of monsoon rain, The police were trying to rescue the people from flood and were avoiding the local people to go near water, But on the other bank of river, some people were busy in fish hunting, When I came there, a unique, un-natural and different news for me in monsoon flood was the presence of Swat Trout fish in Charsada/Mohmands area near MundaHeadwork’s. On inquiring the fisherman replied that, these are the trout fishes, which has been flowed in flood water from Swat to district Charsada through river swat.” Said Muhammad Sammi, a young Journalist from Mohmand Tribal District, who was covering the rescue activities after the heavy monsoon rain.
Similarly, one of our colleague also said that a huge Hatchery of trout fish forms have been washed with flood. To conform the news we contacted BachaZeb (Working as Transmission Engineer for Pakhtunkhwa Radio Bajure) Belongs to swat (As he had three Trout fish forms in Kalam). On telephonic conversation he said that they have lost three trout fish forms in swat and some hotel also have been vanished due to bloody monsoon flood. “All the three Trout Fish forms were in around 3 kilometers area, and all of them(with their Hatchery) have been flowed into flood water, due to which all have been lost. “ Mr. Zeb added. He estimated the total loss more than 50 to 60 million rupees.
The story not ends here, but apart from fisheries, a countless amount of biodiversity have been lost due to sever monsoon rain and flood. According to the officials of Pakistan meteorological department, the intensity of rain and flood was very high and this kind of monsoon rain was not recorded from the last thirty years, this summer, erratic monsoon rains and melting of Pakistan’s glaciers are the two climate crisis which have combined to create a monstrous super-flood that has ravaged the country. The Economic losses are estimated to be in excess of $30bn, 50 million people have been internally displaced, there is the threat of a malaria epidemic as floodwater lies stagnant – satellite images have shown the shocking formation of a 100km-wide inland lake in Sindh due to overflowing from the Indus River. More than 400 children have died and with winter coming and millions left without shelter, many more will.
Due to the monstrous super-flood the Biodiversity in Pakistan has been affected very badly, the flood washed the forests, crops, fruits trees and a huge amount of agriculture land. According to the livestock department, more than 2 thousand cattle has been washed into flood water, but it seems that there will be a huge loss to livestock in the affected areas and the department is calculating the exact figure.
Besides this, many crops and fruits fields have been washed nearby rivers from Swat to Nowshehra and even the south region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well. Similarly the Munda Headwork’s made in the British era have been washed in the flood near newly constructing Mohmand Dam, due to which many crops and agriculture land were washed and damaged, at the same time the Canal system have been filled from mud and sand, and if the delay occurred in the rehabilitation of this canal system it will affect the maize and sugarcane crop badly, especially in and water Charsada and some nearby area of Mohmand Tribal District as well.
UN Secretary-General AntónioGuterres revealed that the ongoing flooding had cost Pakistan $30 billion, as he visited Pakistan to mobilize help for millions of people affected by devastating monsoon floods.
The UN secretary general called the lack of global attention to climate change “insanity”.
“This is insanity, this is collective suicide,” Guterres told a news conference in the federal capital, lamenting the lack of attention the world gave to climate change — particularly the industrialised nations that scientists blame.
Pakistan is responsible for less than one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but is eighth on a list compiled by the NGO Germanwatch of countries most vulnerable to extreme weather caused by climate change.
“I want to say a few words to the international community. Pakistan needs massive financial support to respond to this crisis that has cost, according to some estimates I have heard today, about $30 billion and counting,” the UN chief said at the press conference.
The visit by the senior UN diplomat is also expected to highlight the importance of sustained international support for Pakistan through the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase, and for building resilience against future climate shocks.
About the Biodiversity loss due to flood, the Environmental Journalist Asif Mohmand says “At this stage, it is very difficult and almost impossible to calculate the exact amount of biodiversity loss in terms of DATA”. Mr. Asif said “devastating floods wrecked thousands human houses which is documented and may be rehabilitee soon, but the undocumented biodiversity loss will create a biodiversity crisis in near future. The unseen ecosystems taking decades to recover. The insects which vanished and displaced by flood will also affect our food Chang system”.
Asif explained that the Govt. institutions has been started to collect information about the damages of infrastructure, but till now there is no sign of collecting data regarding Biodiversity loss due flood”. He demanded that the government should focus on Biodiversity crises should and thoroughly check biodiversity loss after flood. He added that Pakhtunkhwa has rich biodiversity than rest of Pakistan which is badly affected by recent flood.
Loss and Damages due to Monsoon Flood in KP
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at least 293 people died and 351 people were injured as a result of various accidents due to rains and floods across the province since 15 June 2022. According to details shared by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 35385 houses were completely damaged while 52904 houses were partially damaged total number of house damages are 88489 across the province. PDMA, District Administration and other relevant departments evacuated 406568 people to safe places before the floods while 69775 people were rescued through rescue operation in different districts. 675348 people have been displaced. 854180 people have been provided dry food and cooked food.
According to Director General PDMA KP Sharif Hussain, plastic mats to benefit 22456 individuals, apart from it 9535 blankets, 8243 kitchen sets, 9351 hygiene kits, 9762 water containers, 6316 plastic mats, 685 life-saving jackets, and 9319 mosquito nets Baskets,146 searchlights and 6785 pillows have been distributed.
PDMA has already released Rs 1752 million to the District Administrations since July to deal with the emergency situation. As per policy, the fund can be utilized for compensation of the victims and relief activities. DG PDMA Sharif Hussain said that helping and rehabilitating the flood victims is our first duty. On the direction of Chief Minister Khyber PakhtunkhwaMahmood Khan all the concern District organizations and line departments are working day and night to help the victims.
Losses & Damages Report issued by PDMA
District Administrations, Irrigation Authorities and other line departments are busy with heavy machinery to extract water from flood affected areas and rehabilitate them. Relief operations are also going on in other flood affected districts. The flood control room of the Provincial Government is fully functional. People may report any untoward incident on the helpline 1700.
UNICEF Report about the damages of flood
According to a report of UNICEF, Torrential monsoon rains have triggered the most severe flooding in Pakistan’s recent history, washing away villages and leaving more than three million children in need of humanitarian assistance and at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition.
More than 1,200 people, including around 400 children, have lost their lives. Hundreds of thousands of homes have been destroyed, while many public health facilities, water systems and schools have been destroyed or damaged.
UNICEF is responding with the Government and partners, helping to deliver safe drinking water; lifesaving medical supplies; therapeutic food supplies; and hygiene kits to children and families. We are also establishing temporary learning centres and supporting the protection and psychosocial wellbeing of children affected by these devastating floods.
But much more is needed to ensure we can reach all families displaced by floods and help them overcome this climate disaster.
The UNICEF added that Around 33 million people, including approximately 16 million children, have been affected by this year’s heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan, which have brought devastating rains, floods and landslides. Some major rivers have breached their banks and dams have overflowed, destroying homes, farms and critical infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and public health facilities. At least 18,000 schools have been damaged or destroyed across the country due to the floods.
Statement by Executive Secretary of Convention on Biological Diversity
On 26thJune at the closing of the fourth meeting of the ad hoc working group on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework the Executive Secretary of Convention on Biological Diversity Elizabeth MarumaMrema said that “the Working Group made significant progress towards the finalization of the Global Biodiversity Framework for adoption at the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties.
I look forward to welcoming you all to Montreal for the second part of the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, under the presidency of China. Our Co-Chairs have proposed a road map from Nairobi to Montreal, and from the Secretariat’s side we will do our best to ensure all arrangements are in place. At the fifteenth meeting, the world will come together to collectively deliver a new global agreement to reverse nature loss in the next decade and beyond. Together, with the full and active engagement of all stakeholders, we will deliver a clear, ambitious and transformative global framework on biodiversity, all with the aim of achieving the 2050 Vision of “Living in harmony with nature”.
What’s on the agenda at COP15?
Ahead of the second part of COP15, the organisers have laid out what they see as the key objectives of the meeting. Top of the list is working towards finalising the global biodiversity framework for the conference, including discussions over biodiversity targets, finance and benefit sharing.
Other priorities include increasing the role that Indigenous peoples and communities have in dialogue over knowledge sharing and benefitting from biodiversity, and discussing how information from genetic sequencing can be more fairly shared.
Following COP26, the meeting also hopes to highlight how biodiversity can help mitigate the impacts of climate change and assist communities around the world in adapting to a warmer planet.
What should be the stance of Pakistan Govt. at COP15?
The bloody monsoon rain and floods washed out the countless precious and even hundred year’s old trees, it vanished the nests of beautiful and unique birds, the important trout fish breed have been destroyed, the hatcheries of fishes and habitats of the countless birds have been destroyed. Hundredds and thousands trees, herbs and sharbs have been washed into the water. The crops and vegetables have washed out in water, beside this the canal system in most areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been disturbed, due to which it will badly affect the productivity of the coming crops, as the mostly canals are filled with sand and muds. The infrastructure is badly affected.
At this rescue stage of the flood it is very difficult to calculate the exact amount of Biodiversity loss due to flood, but there will be in thousand stories about biodiversity loss after sometime. Therefore the Govt. of Pakistan should highlight the Biodiversity loss issue in the next meeting of Conference of Parties COP15, which will be held from 1st week of December in Montreal (Canada). Pakistan should demand help from international community for revival of its lost Biodiversity.
The Writer is Radio Producer and freelance Environmental Journalist, who tweets on @Muradonline123
